Auto accidents involving undeclared immigrants

January 3, 2007 3:30 PM

Immigration Statistics: I'm trying to find statistics on auto accidents involving undeclared immigrants. My google-fu is failing me. Any suggestions?
posted by jaronson to Law & Government (4 answers total)

Auto accident statistics are usually kept by municipalities and can sometimes be found from state DOTs. Whether either of these agencies keep track of whether the people involved are undocumented is doubtful. I have gone through quite a few accident reports as part of traffic studies and there is no part of the form that lists whether a person is even a foreigner.

I would tend to disbelieve any sources that purport to keep accurate statistics of accidents involving undocumented immigrants.
posted by JJ86 at 4:26 PM on January 3, 2007

Coming from the immigration side of this, I have to agree with JJ86. I know of no place where records of undocumented immigrants getting into accidents is kept.

DHS generally doesn't keep any records of traffic violations unless they are criminal in nature (vehicular manslaughter, DUI, etc.).
posted by Pollomacho at 5:56 PM on January 3, 2007

Response by poster: Thank you for the replies JJ86, and Pollomacho. It looks as though I have reached a dead end.
posted by jaronson at 5:44 AM on January 4, 2007

Most agencies don't keep track of it because in many jurisdictions, law enforcement officials are not allowed to ask their resident status.
posted by drstein at 11:29 AM on January 4, 2007